Aly Returns
by seven3eight
Summary: It has been years since Alianne of Pirate's Swoop last visited Tortall. Will anyone recognize the Copper Isle's spymaster or will Aly be fated to be forgotten?


These characters, the realm of Tortall, the Copper Isles and the Yamani Islands belong to Tamora Pierce.

Tobeis Boon – known as Tobe to his friends – frowned as he saw a woman he didn't know coming towards the doors. The top of his class at the herald's college, he was the official herald for the court of the King and Queen of Tortall and he prided himself on knowing everyone who normally sought an audience with the king and queen.

This girl was vaguely familiar, yet he couldn't remember her name. With the darkest skin he had ever seen on a redhead – though, to be honest, her hair was more of a strawberry blonde – the girl wore foreign clothes, layers of dresses over flat, brown sandals. She had on a green under robe and on top she wore a cloth of gold over robe. Around her neck she wore two necklaces and on her fingers rested a black basalt ring imprinted with a kudarung.

"Good day, my lady," Tobe said, glancing interestedly at the woman's beautiful, if somewhat odd, gown.

Her green hazel eyes flashed as she smiled mischievously and she murmured, "I know, I'm more comfortable in a raka sarong, if truth be told, but Dove would insist." He looked even more confused and she smiled, "Don't worry, Tobe," she said, eyes still hinting at some mischief she planned to play, "I'm not daft. I've come on orders from Her Majesty Queen Dovasary of the Copper Isles."

"How do you know my name?" he asked looking at her wonderingly.

"You don't recognize me, Tobe?" she asked, oddly enough looking delighted that he didn't recall who she was.

"Ought I to, my lady?" he asked, frowning in concentration as he tried to recall where he had seen her face before.

"Aye, that you should," she said, "but don't worry. It has been years since you saw me last. It pains me that I am so easily forgotten, really, it does."

Still confused, Tobe decided that he had better announce this woman and ponder her identity later. "How shall I announce you, my lady?" he asked her, pulling out the herald's staff which he would bang to get the attention of the gathered court.

"Lady Alianne Crow, Duchess of Lohearn and Princess of the Queen's Heart," she replied, giggling at the look of dawning comprehension on his face.

"Aly?" he asked, shocked at her foreign looks and use of the name Alianne. Never before had she used her full name at court, and very few even knew her true name was not Aly. Tobe only remembered because one of his tests at the herald's college had been on the names and ranks of every noble whose family was written in the _Book of Gold_. "I heard they shipped you off to the Copper Isles as a slave."

"They did," she said, grinning again, "but thanks to the interference of some pesky gods and plenty of luck, here I am, in all my glory."

"And a princess royal?" he asked, looking at her head as if seeking to find a coronet.

"Not royal," she said, shaking her head, "not in line for the throne. You understand that my mother is the King's Champion, and can wield the power of the crown when the king and queen are not present?" At his nod, she continued, "Well, in the Copper Isles they call that position Prince – or in my case, Princess – of the Queen's Heart." He smiled, a headache starting to form behind his eyes. He remembered now that Aly did that to him.

"Well, it was sure nice seeing you again, Aly. Make sure to save a dance for me at the next ball." She nodded and turned to face the doors as they opened.

She saw the stairs she knew so well, leading down into the throne room, where most of the balls were held. Carpeted in pure silver, she made a stunning picture in gold and green as she stepped nimbly down them. As she walked, many turned to see her and she caused quite a stir.

From behind her, she heard Tobe's loud voice calling, "Announcing for the pleasure of their Royal Majesties, King Jonathan III of Conté and Queen Thayet of Tortall and their Royal Highnesses Prince Roald of Conté and Princess Shinkokami of the Yamani Isles and for the esteemed guests of their court, Lady Alianne Crow, Duchess of Lohearn and Princess of the Queen's Heart, emissary for her Royal Majesty Queen Dovasary of the Copper Isles."

_Well, that's a mouthful_, thought Aly, grinning as she curtseyed before the king and queen before turning to curtsey before the prince and princess. Her smile widened even further when she realized that her godsparents and her "cousins" Roald and Shinko didn't recognize her.

"Welcome to Corus, your Grace," Jonathan told her, inviting her to sit on the chair across from them. Duke Gareth of Naxen – the Younger – peered at her interestedly. Her face seemed so familiar, and yet he could not place it. He had a feeling that this would irritate him to no end.

"What brings you to Tortall, your Grace?" Thayet asked, taking in the ring of the queen's personal household that rested upon the girl's slim fingers.

"I had family to visit, your Majesty, and Queen Dovasary asked that I pay her respects to you while I was here."

"Please tell her we accept her kind regards and send warm greetings in return. The Copper Isles have been friends to Tortall since the queen's coronation, though I always suspected that had more to do with the new spymaster. She's from Tortall, too, you know," Jonathan said, gazing at her to judge her reaction.

"Aye, I know, your Majesty. I visited her parents while I was here."

"Who are your people, Duchess Alianne?" Roald asked her, "Do we know them?"

"Oh, aye, probably, your Highness," she said, turning the full power of her green gaze on him. Realization dawned on him and he laughed at himself. He whispered into Shinkokami's ear and her eyes widened as she, too, realized who the girl who sat before him was.

"Well met, cousin, well met!" he cried, drawing confused looks from his parents. His parents sent him a glare at his outburst. He rolled his eyes. "Oh, Papa," he said, laughing at his father's glare, "It's Aly!"

"In all my glory!" she said, throwing her arms up with a flourish.

"You never could resist the dramatics, Aly," Jonathan said, laughing, "Now, tell me how a young slave from Tortall won the position of Princess of the Queen's Heart."

"Well, it all started back when Da wouldn't let me be a spy…"


End file.
